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We have not been too crazy
about visiting Hong Kong before, since we expect it to be equally
sterile and sleek shopping paradise as Singapore is. However, we
decide to give it a chance, and our minds are totally changed. HK
truly has character that Singapore lacks.
Friday, April 22
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For a change we don't fly on
AirAsia, but SIA, so we board at Terminal 3. Despite an early
flight, we also arrive early, very early, because our taxi driver
decides to speed the whole way at 120-130kph. We have a lot of
time to have breakfast and visit the butterfly garden.
Friday, April 22
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We take the airport express
from Lantau Island to Hong Kong Island. It is fast and very
convenient.
Friday, April 22
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After checking in at Cosmo
Hotel in Wan Chai we have lunch in the neighboring Cosmopolitan
Hotel's He Jiang restaurant.
Friday, April 22
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We start with pork jelly,
and crab meat with beans, and then have spicy chicken, a giant
meatball, and stir-fried vegetables for entree.
Friday, April 22
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Queen's Road East in Wan
Chai.
Friday, April 22
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Narrow alleys lead to steep
stairs that go up the hill.
Friday, April 22
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St. Francis Street in Wan
Chai leads to Star Street, a home of several nice coffee shops and
wine bars.
Friday, April 22
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Cappuccino, cafe latte and a
carrot cake at Classified Mozzarella Bar, Wan Chai.
Friday, April 22
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These trams are cool.
Friday, April 22
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They are like small houses
moving smoothly on tracks.
Friday, April 22
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Lippo Centre in Admiralty.
Friday, April 22
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Justice Drive.
Friday, April 22
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Queensway...
Friday, April 22
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Alcohol dispensers ---
somewhere else they are called taps.
Friday, April 22
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Queensway Plaza in
Admiralty.
Friday, April 22
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Chinese Methodist Church at
Johnston Rd. and Hennessy Rd., Wan Chai.
Friday, April 22
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After strolling through the
business district and the markets in Wan Chai, we find ourselves
at East End Brewery / Inn Side Out Pub in Causeway Bay. Their own
beers are not very good, but they carry some nice British Ales.
Friday, April 22
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And American microbrews.
Friday, April 22
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We walk back to the hotel to
find out that the Nooch Bar does not serve food of any kind
(except buffet breakfast in the morning)
Friday, April 22
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So, once again (and not for
the last time) we head out to Star Street to dine. This time we
choose 1/5 Nuevo for tapas and Torres Vina Esmeralda.
Friday, April 22
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When there is a fire in your
butt, run ...
Saturday, April 23
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The second morning starts
very gloomy and grey. We take Star ferry over to Tsim Sha Tsui in
Kowloon.
Pictured: Hong Kong
Convention and Exhibition centre.
Saturday, April 23
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Hong Kong Island's
spectacular skyline.
Saturday, April 23
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Day Star (that's the ferry's
name)
Saturday, April 23
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Tourists surfing the web at
a coffee shop in Ocean Terminal Mall.
Saturday, April 23
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After a bit of shopping in
Ocean Terminal Mall, we are ready to view the town.
Saturday, April 23
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It is still drizzly and
rather chilly, so we decide to visit Hong Kong Museum of History.
Saturday, April 23
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The museum is pretty
comprehensive and well planned. After a couple of hours we start
to feel cold --- it seems that Hong Kong is even more aggressive
with the air-conditioning than S'pore, so we leave without
checking Centenary of China's 1911 Revolution exhibition.
Saturday, April 23
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We take a quick break in the
hotel, and head out to The Pawn for beers and hors d'oeuvres.
Saturday, April 23
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Then we find ourselves back
in the Star Street neighborhood for dinner. This time we try
Spuntini, and have an appetizer platter followed by a potato,
octopus, and parsley pizza.
Saturday, April 23
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After the dinner we wander
back to Causeway Bay district and document some curious things we
find on our way, like this freaky crab on a restaurant window.
Saturday, April 23
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And these Hoegaarden pints
scattered all around the city.
Saturday, April 23
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And this guy.
Saturday, April 23
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And sitting-out areas, where
everything else is forbidden.
Saturday, April 23
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The Sunday morning opens
shiny and warm. Hong Kong's air is surprisingly dry, compared to
S'pore.
Sunday, April 24
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We take Day Star again over
to Kowloon, and then the MTR train to Fanling in New Territories.
Sunday, April 24
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The plan is to
walk the Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail that goes through several
walled villages established by the Tang Clan that moved in the
area more than 200 years ago and was one of the five most
influential clans in the New Territories.
Sunday, April 24
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But first we walk the Avenue
of Stars Promenade in Kowloon to reach the MTR East Tsim Sha Tsui
Station.
Sunday, April 24
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Lo Wai , the first walled
village built by the Tangs.
Sunday, April 24
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New housing estates are
rising next to old villages. And all the villages are not that old
anymore, some old houses withing the walls have already been
replaced by new houses.
Sunday, April 24
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Wing Ning Wai, a walled
village that contains a few traditional Chinese houses.
Sunday, April 24
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Sin Shut Study Hall is
almost 200 years old.
Sunday, April 24
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Details on the Study Hall.
Sunday, April 24
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Details on the Study Hall.
Sunday, April 24
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San Wai.
Sunday, April 24
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Time has stopped in these
old villages. Even if all the buildings are not that old, the life
is the same.
Sunday, April 24
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It is relatively easy to
ignore these highrises when strolling the narrow tranquil alleys
of the old villages.
Sunday, April 24
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Wing Ning Tsuen.
Sunday, April 24
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Old Morris.
Sunday, April 24
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It has been a long and hot
day exploring the villages, and there has been no place to get
refreshments (*). Finally, we find a vending machine.
(*) Which is good, and
implies the area has not been spoiled by tourism yet.
Sunday, April 24
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Shek Lo. Here is some more
info on this mysterious building:
http://orientalsweetlips.wordpress.com/2010/07/04/shek-lo-fanling/
Sunday, April 24
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View from our room in Cosmo
Hotel.
Sunday, April 24
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Our hotel is next to the
Happy Valley Race Course.
Sunday, April 24
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Dinner in
Shanghai Xiao Nan
Guo Cuisine
at
Times
Square.
Sunday, April 24
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Tofu-vegetable rolls.
Sunday, April 24
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Spicy beef.
Sunday, April 24
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Prawns on glass noodles.
Sunday, April 24
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Selection of dessert
cookies: dry and floury in texture, but still rich, and have very
little flavor.
Sunday, April 24
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So many nos!
Sunday, April 24
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Another sunny morning, this
time quite hazy though. We take a bus #6 to Stanley Village on the
South side of the Hong Kong Island.
Monday, April 25
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The road is really curvy and
narrow, and the going on a top floor of the double-decker is
wobbly and bumpy, but we are spared from motion sickness.
Pictured: Repulse Bay.
Monday, April 25
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A small roundabout.
Monday, April 25
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Stanley harbor.
Monday, April 25
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A seaside promenade in
Stanley.
Monday, April 25
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A seaside promenade in
Stanley.
Monday, April 25
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South China Sea.
Monday, April 25
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Stanley Market.
Monday, April 25
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Stanley is by no means our
final destination of the day, but we plan to take a hike on
Dragon's Back Trail.
Monday, April 25
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It takes us a while to get
the taxi driver understand what's that we want to go, but
eventually he takes us to the head of Hong Kong Trail at Big Way
Bay. The trail actually goes all the way to Victoria Peak (it
would be 50-kilometer hike there), but we are only planning to
take a 8.5 kilometer hike to Dragon's Back Trail.
Monday, April 25
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Early parts of the trail are
not too crowded.
Monday, April 25
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After a couple of kilometers
on a steep uphill dirt trail, we have next kilometer and a half on
a paved road.
Monday, April 25
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A cemetery hill.
Monday, April 25
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Tai Tam Bay.
Monday, April 25
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Dragon's Back Trail rolls
over small hills on a ridge.
Monday, April 25
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This is where we come from,
and the bay far down is where we started.
Monday, April 25
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Big Wave Bay.
Monday, April 25
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Shek O, a seaside village,
the name meaning a rocky bay.
Monday, April 25
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We can hear the people's
voices from Shek O beach.
Monday, April 25
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Eventually, we have a steep
and short descent through a bamboo forest.
Monday, April 25
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Seafood platter,
Monday, April 25
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with Chablis,
Monday, April 25
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in Caviar House
Prunier at Honk Kong Airport.
Monday, April 25
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We
also have a quick dinner in Pak Loh Chiu Chow Restaurant .
Monday, April 25
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Pork belly, fried rice with
bok choy and mushrooms.
Monday, April 25
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